Authoritarianism is a government structure which offers a strong,

centralized power and limited political freedoms for the general

population. Any rights that are given to the individual are
subordinate to what the state’s demands happen to be at any
given time. This structure also requires no legal or constitutional
accountability for any actions taken, as the rule of law can shift
according to the needs of the government.

The regimes which use an authoritarian government can be

autocratic, or they can choose to spread out the power through
multiple institutions and officials. According to Juan Linz, there are
four specific qualities that must be present for there to be an
authoritarian structure ruling over society.

1. There must be limited political pluralism so that

constraints are on groups and political institutions.
2. Legitimacy for the government is based on emotion to
ensure that the regime can counter enemies of the
people, insurgency, and under-development.
3. There is minimal social mobilization because of
suppression and constraints placed on the general
public.
4. Executive powers are vast, vague, and shifting while
remaining informally defined.
It is possible for leaders to have authoritarian traits without
actually having this form of government. The wave of populism
that began in 2016 worked to put a number of political figures in
power around the world, including the Trump Administration, who
display these traits in some format frequently.

These are the advantages and disadvantages of authoritarian

government structures to consider.

List of the Advantages of Authoritarian

Government
1. It has the capacity to produce consistent results nationwide.
Authoritarian leaders work hard to create solutions that benefit
everyone in their working group because any success that happens
is credited to them. There are no leadership voids that take place
because this leader can move the government structures to where
they need to be. The directions that are given by the person in
charge can then be implemented to create measurable results over
time.
An authoritarian government can thrive when it has the chance to
provide task assignments, create certain deadlines, and provide
control through consistent application across the country. Even if
some the actions are fear-based or potentially unnecessary,
leaders who are seen taking action will often be praised for their
efforts.

2. It saves time during the decision-making process.

Authoritarian governments work from a centralized system where
there is one person or a legislative group responsible for the
decisions that get made. Because there are fewer steps involved in
the process of creating laws or distributing resources, you will find
faster movement and implementation of ideas available using this
structure. These leaders do not need to consult with other people
to make their decisions, which is exceptionally useful in moments
when emergency situations arise.
By removing much of the bureaucracy, authoritarian governments
seek to eliminate a lot of the waste that can occur in other
governing systems.

3. It places the pressure of making a choice on the shoulders of the

leader.
The world can be a very stressful place for a variety of reasons.
When pressure begins to mount on the general population, then
the authoritarian government can come to the rescue of society.
This structure works to put people into the best possible positions
where their strengths can become an asset to the government. If
you want to hold a job and this is the government option in your
country, then there is an excellent chance that you will have
employment.
Unlike socialist or Communist structures that can mandate
employment because of community needs, authoritarian
governments allow you to see the risks involved with each task.
They put people into positions where the most consistent results
become possible. You are more likely to find specialized positions
with this option compared to other governing styles.

4. It creates results which are more consistent.

Authoritarian leaders create specific instructions for the
government and society to follow, and then creates a structure
which ensures the processes are implemented correctly. This
leadership style operates through a clearly defined chain-of-
command that creates effective data movement that begins from
the centralized structure of the government. Although the quality
of the result depends on the experience of the leader, it is possible
for this method to achieve results without personal knowledge of a
specific task because the governing officials have the power to
appoint someone into place.
5. It creates more clarity within the government hierarchy.
An authoritarian government creates a clear leadership structure
where there is one specific person or group in charge of everything.
It is not like the American government where there are three
separate branches that create a series of checks-and-balances
that are used to maintain consistency. It is the responsibility of the
leader to create balance in society instead.
This structure reduces the opportunities that other politicians may
have in taking over the government for their personal purposes.
Advisors will often provide suggestions to the leader when there
are decisions that must be made, but it will always be the leader(s)
who have the final say in what happens with this system of
government.

6.It works to reduce economic equality throughout society.

In an authoritarian government, the only households which tend to
see their wealth grow from their employment or actions are those
who hold high-level government positions. Many governments
using this structure will work to restrict the net worth for most
parties even when private ownership exists. That outcome occurs
because the goal is to make sure that all parties receives similar
access to everything they need in life. Instead of experiencing the
growing inequality of the top 1% of income earners as you do in the
United States today, you would see consistent levels of taxation
and opportunity at all levels, progressing higher based on income.

7. It reduces the amount of duplication that occurs in the supply

chain.
The authoritarian government strives to become as efficient as
possible when distributing or producing goods and services for
consumption. It creates an advantage in this situation because the
government creates a centralized control over everything that is
offered to consumers. Even if there is a free market system in
place, this system of governing places pressure on industries and
specific businesses to create the results that they want.
Reuters reported in March 2019 that President Donald Trump
tweeted that he wanted the CEO of General Motors to do
something to reopen the manufacturing facility in Lordstown, Ohio,
that was idled due to changing business circumstances. “I am not
happy that it is closed when everything else in our Country is
BOOMING,” Trump said. By placing pressure on specific people, this
government seek to reduce duplication without creating a
completely centralized economy.

8. It stops the threat of a business obtaining a monopoly.

The goal of an authoritarian government is to create a public,
centralized power. It is not unusual for this structure to work with
a mixed economy to ensure that there are still private ownership
opportunities. What you will see with this advantage is the
imposition of pricing restrictions on specific commodities and
services. Instead of declaring that specific goods and services be
sold at a dictated price, this government structure allows subsidies
to reduce the cost to consumers while providing an income
resource for producers. Since taxpayers help to fund these
programs, the costs are simply directed through different budget
lines to create results.

9. It provides an increase in productivity.

Authoritarian governments can help to push manufacturing and
agricultural activities to new levels thanks to this unique approach.
It works to create a clear process for everyone to follow from the
centralized mechanisms of the governing process. Leaders can
provide specific rules that quickly filter to their subordinates,
declaring how to complete specific tasks according to the internal
best practices developed. Then the government requires through
legislation that all parties follow these rules under the threat of
fines or worse, which then boosts productivity until the fear of
reprisal wears off.

List of the Disadvantages of Authoritarian

Government
1. Authoritarian governments want to stay in power indefinitely.
The goal of an authoritarian government is the same as any other
form of dictatorship that exists in the world today. It has the top
priority of keeping the leadership in charge of governing while they
work to build policies that reflect what they want to see for the
overall economy. These actions are often done with good
intentions, but the end result usually causes someone to be hurt
by the changes made.
It is not unusual for the various changes made in each community
to be politically motivated as well. Even if the benefits of change
would only apply to a small minority of the population,
authoritarians will invest resources to make such an effort if it will
reinforce their position with their support base.

2. Authoritarian governments invite rebellion in society.

There is a reason why corporate managers who are seen as being
authoritarian are routinely viewed by their staff as being
controlling, bossy, and micromanagers. This dictatorial style
creates rebellion when it comes from the government because
there is little that the general population can do to stop the
changes from happening. It is not unusual for the legislation
passed by this centralized government structure to tell people how
to live, what to think, and how to work.
An authoritarian government can then decide that any failures in
the implementation of policy are the fault of the average person,
holding everyone else responsible for the outcomes achieved. This
form of governing is quick to take credit when things go great, but
it is fast to shift the blame if something goes wrong.

3. Authoritarian governments often rule emotionally instead of

logically.
There is a time and place for emotion in government, just as there
is a need to be logical with decision-making skills as well. Humans
are almost incapable of making any decision without the presence
of emotion. The problem with an authoritarian government is that
there are high levels of insecurity put on display by the leadership
core. Any perceived insult brings the weight of the government
down on individuals who may have nothing to do with the
situation.

When the leadership of an authoritarian government starts making

decisions based on their gut instinct instead of the facts which are
around them, then it becomes easier to initiate unwanted conflicts
with others. If those circumstances are allowed to fester, this
disadvantage could eventually lead to war.

4. Authoritarian governments can impair societal morale.

The average person tends to work more productively and with
higher quality when they understand that their contributions make
a positive impact. An authoritarian government can be a beneficial
resource to have if the efforts of the leadership communicate the
importance of what a person does to earn a living. If the opposite
occurs, then it can cause the rest of society to turn against that
person.
President Trump frequently rails against the press being “enemies
of the people.” He has sometimes qualified that remark as
referring to media personalities who purposely spread what he
calls “fake news.” The reality of these comments hits home for
local news journalists who have items thrown at their vans, hateful
words left on their social media page, and worse. It even applies to
blog writers, marketing copywriters, and anyone else that someone
sees as being a journalist or “elitist” in some fashion.

An authoritarian government does an excellent job at rallying their

support base to keep their support levels high. This effort always
comes at the cost of dividing society in some way.

5. Authoritarian governments often rule without feedback.

When there is a significant decision to be made in a community,
most governments rely on a system of public feedback to
determine if the choice is one worth making. You will see this on
display with zoning changes, license issuing, and community
planning projects all of the time. When there is an authoritarian
government in place, then you will see this disadvantage occur
frequently.
Authoritarians don’t like to receive feedback, nor do they want to
offer it. At a March 11 public comment period in Seattle, Richard
Schwartz went before the City Council, asking them to pay
attention to what he had to say. He was limited to 2 minutes per
council rules. After making the comment Councilwoman Debora
Juarez interrupted him and said, “Sir, you’re on a two-minute timer
here – so let’s go.” Because of this lack of feedback, it is very easy
for those in the government to become disconnected from those
who are not part of it.

6. Authoritarian governments create higher levels of societal

churn.
When people feel like they are giving everything that they can to
better their country, economy, and society, then they will continue
to look for new challenges. They will use their drive to keep
seeking out their next dream. Authoritarian governments can get in
the way of this process by legislating limits on what people can do
with their lives. When there is no way to push forward and the
hierarchy of the government prevents an opportunity to build new
hope, then the amount of churn that happens can be quite
extensive.
Churn in the business world means that employees decide to quit
their job to find employment somewhere else – even at a lower
pay rate if necessary. When it applies to society, this issue causes
people to eventually leave as well. They get tired of trying to fight
for their homeland, so they decide to live somewhere new.

7. Authoritarian governments rely on the experience of their

leadership.
The authoritarian government is highly dependent upon the
knowledge and expertise of its leader or group to make things
happen on a nationwide scale. This means the leader(s) are
indispensable to the future that those in charge want to provide
for the rest of society. If something should happen to that
individual or group which changes their access levels in the
government, then it will not function as efficiently as it would
otherwise.
It is very easy for an authoritarian government to develop tunnel
vision when a country begins to fall behind the standards that the
rest of the world can achieve. If there is not enough experience in
the hands of the leader to offset that issue, then society can see a
steep decline in their way of life because they are listening to their
leadership instead of the global data that is available for review.

8. Authoritarian governments try to create equality in inadequate

ways.
For a society to be truly equal, each person must have the same
opportunity to achieve success by having a starting point that is
the same as every other individual. When an authoritarian
government attempts to create more equality, it will typically favor
the groups who support their presence before any other. If you find
yourself in a minority demographic, then your rights might be
sacrificed for the “good of the many.” Even though the purpose
might have good intentions here at times, one cannot be defined
as successful if they treat others as being inferior.
A Final Thought on Authoritarian Governments
Authoritarian governments on their own are not “good” or “bad” by
design. Their structure works to help those in charge distribute
resources, encourage growth, and provide access when needed to
provide assistance to the many. The only problem with this
approach is that it often comes at the expense of the minority
groups in that society. It is much easier to create conflict by pitting
the majority who feels ignored with those who receive “special”
benefits as a way to stay in power compared to other dictatorial
methods.

The problem that you will discover in these authoritarian

government pros and cons is that even with all of the potential
benefits which are possible, innovation struggles in this structure.
Because everything flows from a central structure to the rest of
society, it takes more effort to communicate expectations. There
isn’t a guarantee that the best practices developed in one region
will apply to others.

An authoritarian government assumes that all demographics are

essentially the same, which is why it will eventually struggle to find
success.